Harrison County Iowa Genealogy

HISTORY OF HARRISON COUNTY, IOWA, 1891
BIOGRAPHIES
Page 720
JAMES D. ROGERS

James D. ROGERS is a farmer living on section 2, of LaGrange Township, and is counted among the pioneers of Harrison County, coming as he died in April, 1854, at which time he settled on the farm he now occupies. At first he entered a quarter section at $1.25 per acre. His first house was built of logs and covered with clapboards; it was 16x18 feet and had a sod chimney. The floor was made of lumber from CHATBURN & MAHONEY's mill, from which place he also got his first grist of cornmeal. It was in this log cabin that our subject lived in good old pioneer style until 1862, when he erected a frame house in which he still lives, having made several additions and improvements since. The first year he was here he only broke four acres. There were only about forty acres of prairie land on his place. His present farm comprises two hundred and forty acres, about seventy-five of which are under the plow. In 1865 our subject set out an orchard of eight acres, to which he has since added four acres, making one of the finest orchards in Harrison County. He has a fine variety of apples. The early apples consist of Early Harvest, Red June, Sweet June, Early Joe, Red Astrakan, Duchess and Williams's Favorite. The winter varieties are White Winter Pearmain, Golden Russet, Winesap, Geneton, Jonathan, Sheriff, Northern-spy, Willow twig, Toman-sweet and others.

As a matter of curiosity our subject took a couple of perfect Willow-twig apples and laid them away to see how long they would keep, and it was found that they had not commenced to rot in July of the second year after they had been picked from the tree.

In 1874 our subject erected a barn 24x60 feet with fourteen-foot posts. The entire premises of this man show him to be a hard worker, as well as an intelligent agriculturist and horticulturist. When he first came to this county his nearest trading post was Council Bluffs. He drove an ox-team, and it was four years after he came to the county before he even had this. He used to exchange work with a brother and get him to plow up what little he had to cultivate, and would then do the rest with his hoe. He did not possess a horse until 1868, when he traded his oxen for a team. In these good, old early days it was no uncommon thing to see whole families go to church drawn by ox-teams. The first church services held after Mr. ROGERS came to LaGrange Township were held at the log house of Mr. PETERSON, near James MCKINNEY's farm.

Mr. ROGERS was born in Greenbrier County, W. Va., November 10, 1822. He remained there with his parents until the spring of 1811, when he went to Calaway County, Mo., and remained until the spring of 1845. He then returned to his father's home and worked with him that season. He had bought some wild land in the woods which he went to clearing up, and remained there until 1848; he then sold out and removed to Cabell County, W. Va., where he remained until the spring of 1854, and then came to Harrison County Iowa.

Our subject was united in marriage in his native county, September 4, 1845, to Miss Susan GILKESON, and they are the parents of seven children: Samuel G., born April 26, 1847; Elizabeth J., May 29, 1849; Esteline, November 22, 1850; Rebecca C., October 22, 1852; Mattie A., October 11, 1854; John C., February 14, 1854; Charles H., November 7, 1857. John C. died January 9, 1857; Charles H., September 7, 1886. He was thrown from a load of hay and only lived about and hour and a half.

Susan (GILKESON) ROGERS was born in Greenbrier County, W. Va., December 3, 1820. John ROGERS, the father of our subject, was born in the same place April 25, 1800, and remained there until 1850 when he removed to Cabell County, the same State, and was there until the spring of 1852, then went to Harrison County, Iowa, where he entered a half-section of land in LaGrange Township and was one of the first settlers in these parts. He improved and lived upon his farm as long as he lived. He closed his eyes upon the scenes of earth, November 20, 1880.

The mother of our subject, Elizabeth (COX) ROGERS, was born in Bath County, W. Va., June 9, 1796, and when a girl her parents removed to Greenbrier County where she remained until 1821, at which time she was married. She died in Harrison County, Iowa, April 20, 1869. This worthy couple were the parents of seven children, of whom our subject is the eldest. The mother was a member of the Presbyterian Church, as are both our subject and his wife.

Politically, Mr. ROGERS is identified with the Republican party, and among the offices he has held may be mentioned that of member of the Board of Supervisors for Harrison County; President of the School Board for six years and Township Clerk for the same length of time.

Mr. ROGERS had three brothers who came to this county in 1852, John M., David and Michael. All entered land in LaGrange Township and improved the same.

Michael did in 1881 in Texas, having moved to that State in 1869; John M. died in Kansas City, Mo., in 1884, having removed there the year previous; David is living in Dunlap; John M. was born in Greenbrier County, W. Va., July 4, 1832, and was married in Harrison County in October, 1856, to Miss Hope REUDDER. They had seven children. The widow and her family are living in Kansas City; Michael was born in the same county May 31, 1824, and was married there to Miss Sarah J. MOOREHEAD who bore him seven children. The widow is now living with one of her children in Nebraska.

Of our subject's children who are married it may be said that Elizabeth married Silas BROADWELL, November 20, 1867, and they are living in Portland, Ore., and have two children--Ernest and Charles. Estaline married Samuel JACK, March 4, 1875, and lives in Hiawatha, Kan.; Martha A. married Robert K. EBY, September 7, 1876; Catharine married W. G. JONES, December 13, 1877, and is living in Iowa County, Iowa; Charles H. married Ada E. FRAZIER, July 15, 1880. His widow still lives in LaGrange Township; Samuel G. married Ida C. EATLET, and is living in Washington, D. C., where he has a position which he has held for the pat five years in the Pension Department. He was Principal of the Logan Schools for nine years, and was Principal at Missouri Valley three years. He commenced to teach when he was sixteen years of age.

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